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Muddy Creek in MN

Started by Guest_PeterE_* , Oct 24 2010 03:05 PM

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10 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_PeterE_*

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Posted 24 October 2010 - 03:05 PM

About a week ago I made my very first real collecting/catching-and-releasing trip to a very small but interesting creek near where I live. At first I was pretty doubtful of catching anything because the creek wound through a cow pasture and several areas of the bank were trampled and bare, but the water wasn't very turbid, so I decided to try seining it. What do you know, first try and we come up with an eight inch muskie. Success! Needless to say I was thrilled. We spent another hour there, and caught what I believe to be Johnny darters, a stunning orangespotted sunfish, 3 white crappies, tadpole madtoms, and bucketloads of bluntnose minnows. This probably is the largest single experience that got my really interested in native fish. I took home the orangespotted sunfish, two madtoms, and an unidentified crayfish which has disappeared under a huge manzanita stump. I'm a little worried I won't be able to get him out and he'll come out at night and devour my plants. Luckily he's tiny now, so he can't do too much damage. One bad thing: I believe my sunfish has anchor worms. I ordered and am treating him with "Parasite Clear" tablets. Anybody have any experience with those, or a better way to kill anchor worms? I might be able to get pics up soon if anybody wants them. My skill as a photographer and the light in the fishes' current tank are both extremely poor, so don't expect too much. :smile2:

#2 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 24 October 2010 - 04:54 PM

Anchor worms you generally have to pull out yourself with tweezers. It's best to do this sooner rather than later because they're releasing eggs into the water column as they hang off of your fish. It's not pleasant to pull them off. I still feel rather traumatized from pulling anchor worms off of my favorite female betta a few years back. The fish is unhappy, you're unhappy, the darn thing just won't come out, and it's not good times. But you gotta do it. I'm sorry.

#3 Guest_PeterE_*

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Posted 24 October 2010 - 06:05 PM

Oh. Well that sounds fun. :shock:

Thanks for the information, though.

#4 Guest_NateTessler13_*

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Posted 26 October 2010 - 08:33 AM

Try your parasite removal tabs. Make sure you remove any carbon filtration from your aquarium before adding this chemical/tablet. Activated carbon will typically remove the chemical from the water before it has had a chance to affect the parasite. If you don't mind plucking the adult anchor worm from the fish, and you can do it without harming the fish much, I would give it a shot. Otherwise, let the chemical do its intended job. Make sure to stick with the treatment for the fully prescribed length. The eradication of the adult stage doesn't mean the larval stages and eggs have been eliminated. Sorry if this information is too trivial or basic, but it may help less experienced fish keepers that view this thread.

#5 Guest_PeterE_*

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Posted 26 October 2010 - 05:25 PM

No, actually that was very helpful. I may still tweezer the worms, but the little Y-tail on one fell off, and the fish only has two (visible), so I haven't yet. All the carbon is removed and I'm happy to stick with it for the three weeks it says it will take on the label.

#6 Guest_star5328_*

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Posted 26 October 2010 - 07:07 PM

No, actually that was very helpful. I may still tweezer the worms, but the little Y-tail on one fell off, and the fish only has two (visible), so I haven't yet. All the carbon is removed and I'm happy to stick with it for the three weeks it says it will take on the label.

My understanding is that if the Y tail was present and now is not, the eggs have fallen into the aquarium or hatched...something along those lines.

#7 Guest_PeterE_*

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Posted 26 October 2010 - 08:14 PM

Oh! That's not good! I still won't use tweezers unless my sunfish starts looking bad. He does look somewhat better, but I'll have to watch my madtoms.

#8 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 26 October 2010 - 09:38 PM

I still won't use tweezers unless my sunfish starts looking bad.

I didn't mean to talk you out of pulling the anchor worms off with tweezers. It's actually not that bad. You just gotta suck it up and do it.

#9 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 26 October 2010 - 09:38 PM

My understanding is that if the Y tail was present and now is not, the eggs have fallen into the aquarium or hatched...something along those lines.

Yup.

#10 Guest_PeterE_*

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Posted 27 October 2010 - 03:48 PM

It's actually not that bad

You're right. It wasn't.
I decided that I probably wasn't going to hurt the fish, so I just did it. It was kind of awkward because I didn't have a net the right size, but the fish seems fine. :biggrin:

I'm still treating the tank for the eggs, and I think I might have missed one little worm, if it is one. I can't really tell. It's much smaller than the others.

#11 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 27 October 2010 - 09:23 PM

You're right. It wasn't.
I decided that I probably wasn't going to hurt the fish, so I just did it. It was kind of awkward because I didn't have a net the right size, but the fish seems fine.
I'm still treating the tank for the eggs, and I think I might have missed one little worm, if it is one. I can't really tell. It's much smaller than the others.

Good job!
Well, if they come back (and they probably will), just pull 'em off again. If you pull them off quickly you greatly reduce the number of eggs released into the water column. This next time they come back will probably be the last now that you're prepared to deal with them right away.